Truths Unknown
by ToastySama
Summary: The Ronins find out about their past lives...or is it really their armors? FINISHED!
1. Someone's Missing

Truths unknown

This is a month after Talpa's defeat.  The Ronins scouted everywhere from the city to the countryside many times with no signs of any familiar or new evils.  But, the concern of the Ronins had Mia worried, so she suggested for them to take a small vacation…to remember what it was like being boys.  The five teens decided to go on a campout in the mountains and be fully engulfed in their elements this night.

"This is it," the teen, in a white shirt, yelled as he reached the top of the mountain.

Ryo stood to his left, "Nice Kento.  How did you know about this?"

"Easily.  He found a place as hard as his head," the Auburn haired teen laughed.

"Hey, don't crack on me, yet, Cye," Kento, looking back at him.  I guess you didn't see the whole view, yet."  Cye ventured onto the ledge, to Kento's right and saw the huge lake below.

"I love you, Kento," Cye cried as he hugged the biggest of his friends.

"Hey.  Where's Rowen," Ryo asked.

"Where do you think, Ryo?  Haven't you looked around?"  Ryo whipped his jet-black haired head around, to see that he was questioned by Sage, a tall blonde with violet eyes.  His friends managed to scrub up a purple T-shirt and a pair of brown shorts for him.

"Well, I see the lake…trees…volcano…and," Ryo looked up after Sage's eyes looked up to the heavens, "the stars," he finished slowly.

"Rowen is probably wondering off to who knows where," Sage sighed.

Cye smiled, "Don't worry.  I'm sure that he'll find us.  Until then, I'm going for a swim."

"Cye, wait up.  I'll join you.  And, Kento?  Will you give us a holler if you see him?"

"Sure, Sage."  After the two disappeared over the horizon, he started helping Ryo to set camp.  "It's not like Sage to ask favors."

"It's ok, Kento," Ryo smiled, "If you ask me, I am a bit concerned too.  I mean, this IS the first time that we get together as a group in a long time without fighting anything.  But, the best thing is to side with Cye on this one.  Rowen knows how to take care of himself."

Cye laughed as he passed his hands through the water.  He looked back at his blonde friend and saw that he was deep in meditation.

"Come swim with me, Sage."  Cye took off his navy colored shirt and jumped in.  As he surfaced, he saw that his friend did not budge an inch, maybe too deep in meditation to hear his surroundings.  Cye came out and pulled Sage up by his arms.

"Huh?  What is it, Cye?"  Amazingly, the auburn haired boy got him to go into the water.  Cye, giggling all the way like a schoolgirl.  "Cye, I don't want to.  CYE, cut it out."  A second ago he was meditating, but now he found himself chest deep in water.  His only guess in this magical disposition was all in Cye.  All the way to the water all he could look at was Cye's beautiful smile.  A smile, which makes you think to yourself that he truly possessed the virtue of trust.

"Sage, …this is the time for us to spend time together.  So, stop trying to be somewhere else."  He sprinkled water onto the other boy's head, which caused a water fight.  After all of their playing was through, Sage gave a huge smile in what seemed to be a long time.

"You are something else Cye," as he pushed his hair out of one of his eyes.

"Hey, guys," Kento yelled, "I'm starving!"  Sage snickered at the comment.

"Rowen?  ROWEN!  Over here," Ryo yelled.  "Sage, Cye, come quickly!  Something's wrong."

"What happened," the blonde asked, scuffing his hair, so it would no longer obscure his view.

"Rowen was acting oblivious to his surroundings," Ryo answered.

"I thought he was always like that when looking at the stars," Kento said.

"He wasn't.  He was looking straight ahead and heading that way."  At that moment they all heard a woman's scream.  All quickly changed into their under armors as they went toward the sound.  Suddenly, they fell into a rather large hole.  Ryo got up first.

"Is everyone all right," Cye asked as he too arose.

"I'm ok.  Just can't see," Ryo answered.

"I'll handle that," Sage told them.  "Armor of Halo, Tao Chi!"  The green armor formed on him, then took out his sword.  He brought it towards himself and closed his eyes.  "I think Rowen's here too.  This way."  The rest followed the Halo warrior and his glowing sword.  The only thing they knew about this place was that it was a cave and now they are traveling through narrow passages.  Some being so narrow that Sage had to armor down to get through, but still carried sword in hand.  After some time, they entered another large area.  At their arrival, an arrow was shot at them, and Sage blocked it with his sword.

"HALT!  Who goes there?"

"It's us," Kento shouted, "Chill out!"  The golden arrow lit up the right side of Rowen's face as he pulled it back in the string, ready to fire again.

"I am a servant of the royal family.  Now, who goes there?"

"Rowen, what are you talking about?  We're you're friends, remember," Cye told him.

"How can I trust you, friend or foe?"

"What's WRONG with him," Cye whispered.

"He's being controlled by another force or presence in this room," Sage answered.  "Believe me, there is definitely someone else here."

"If you are friend," Rowen asked, "then why are you here?"

Ryo pushed Sage aside, "I am Ryo and serve the royal family along with you."

"Which person?"  Rowen's kanji of life burned on his forehead.  Ryo's kanji of virtue also lit after Rowen's did.

"We protect the princess.  And, take care of her as well."

"It's a good thing you finally came back, Ryo…we're so scared."  Rowen started to break out in tears as both of their kanjis vanished.

"Why," as Ryo walked up to him.

"The palace is surrounded and I don't know where to take her.  You have to help me get her out of here."

"Where is she?"  At that moment Kayura steps out from behind Rowen.

"What's Kayura doing here," Cye asked.  "We all thought that she and the warlords were repairing the nether world."

"Ryo…Ryo, I…," Rowen then fell forward.

"Rowen!"  All rushed forward and Ryo caught the archer in his arms.  "Rowen…."  The light from Sage's sword reveled that Rowen had a large gash on the other side of his head, but Kayura was not there.

"Where is she?  Where's Kayura," Kento asked.

"She's not here anymore," Sage gasped.

Kento pushed Sage, "What do you mean that she isn't here anymore?"

"Kento, calm down," Cye told him.

"She just isn't."

"What do you mean she isn't?  We saw her with our own eyes?"

"Kento-."

"I'll be damned if she's trying to get us to finish Talpa's evil work, Sage!"

Cye started to get closer, "Kento, please-."

"Now, what happened, Sage!?"

"I don't know!"

Kento pushed him again, "What do you mean you don't know?  You sensed her, didn't you?"

"I did-."

"Then, DON'T play us around!  Tell us what the heck is going on!  Tell us, tell us," Kento immediately held Sage in the air by a chokehold, all the while, ignoring Cye's pleas, "TELL US!  Tell us, or so help me God, I'll kill you right here and now, Sage," he growled.

"Kentoooooooooo," Cye yelled, then slugged him.  The larger teen fell to the ground and Sage landed, massaging his neck.  "There's no time for that!  Help him, Sage.  Please?"  Cye could only look up at him with tears rolling down his pale cheeks.  And, only minutes ago that same face carried a beautiful enchanting smile, which asked the warrior of light to play with him.


	2. Through the Eyes of a Young Man

Truths Unknown:  Part 2

This morning was a different one.  A different that they did not want.  Sage was taking an extra long shower to help clear his mind from that night.  Mia was getting more ice for Kento's black eye.  Cye, on the other hand, had avoided most all night.  But, now, he is making his presence known by entering Ryo's room.  As he entered the room, he saw White Blaze sleeping on the floor and Ryo grooming every separate strand of the archer's blue hair.  The only thing Ryo cared about was the wellness of his friend and he was fixated on it.

"Ryo," Cye asked the ronin.  "Is he…?"

"I don't know, Cye."  He smiled, "But, I do know that he'll be ok."  Ryo caressed and touched Rowen as if the younger man was his own child.

"Why do you think he was acting that way?"

"The same reason why Kento acted like he did.  There was something else with us at that moment."

"You honestly don't believe that, do you," asked Cye as he sat next to Ryo.  "You know how Kento gets caught up in the moment.  And, that large wound on Rowen…that could've made him delirious."

"You mean, you didn't feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"That place is really old.  It was trying to tell us something."

"What are you saying?"

"Well, …it effected me, too."

"How?"

"When Rowen's kanji lit up…I knew exactly what he felt and what was going on, what was going through his mind at that moment.  But, I don't know too much about the background."

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?"

"Because I know nothing compared to what Rowen experienced.  I think he experienced a past life in some part.  But, seeing Kayura, it was like seeing an illusion.  To me it seemed that she was there too.  Did anyone get any sleep, Cye, because  I see that you didn't?"

"Sage and Kento did…I think."

"Well, if you're so worried about Rowen, you can sleep in here, I guess."  At that moment, Rowen's eyes opened.  He yelled, cried, and held his head in agony.  "Rowen.  Rowen, it's all right."  The blue haired one thrashed at Ryo with his eyes squeezed shut.  All of the commotion made everyone else rush into the room.

Sage grabbed one of his arms, "Rowen," he called to him softly.

"S-Sage," Rowen whispered as he stopped.

"Yes.  It's us.  You're friends.  What happened to you last night?"

"I was looking at the stars, as usual.  I followed them until I heard singing.  Th-There was a woman singing.  I couldn't hear anything else besides it, I heard her scream, so I ran to her aid, but, I fell, fell for a long time, then, my head hurt me really badly, and she was scared.  And, and-AHHHHHHHH!"  His kanji flickered as he groaned.  The kanjis of the other four warriors also lit up.  All were taken to a serene scene.  All of them being boys, like they planned on doing yesterday.  Somewhere where it was day in a beautiful garden.  Trees everywhere, shedding their pastel petals.  All running a race, laughing their enjoyment of the game, out loud.  There was also a girl laughing.  She was running along side them as well.  Her and four other men.  All were enjoying a single moment together.  No one feeling a better high than the other.  Kento, Sage, and Cye came back to reality.  Only Ryo and Rowen's kanjis still glowed.

"Rowen…it's ok.  I'm here now," Ryo reassured him.  Rowen calmed down and their kanji disappeared.  The frightened Ronin clinged onto Ryo.  "You're with us.  It's ok."  He started to slowly run his fingers through Rowen's hair.

"Did you all feel what I felt," Cye asked.

"What was that," Kento asked.

"It was us, …the warlords, and Kayura," Sage told him.  "That was so long ago."

"What do you mean?  We've never done that."

"I'm not sure what I meant.  I just know that event took place long ago.  It was another era.  I could tell by the clothing."

"Well, we can figure this out later," Mia told them.  "Rowen needs rest now.  But, until he is well enough to move around, I'm going to ask if any of you want to take a trip back to that cave later."

"I guess that all of us will go, if Rowen heals fast enough."  All left Cye, Ryo, Rowen, and the slumbering beast alone, once again.

"Ryo?  Stay with me?  Are you going to stay with me," Rowen asked.

"Yeah.  Cye and me, both will."

"Thank you."  Ryo instructed Cye to get on the other side.  The two holding Rowen, made him feel something that he never felt in a long time.  A feeling good enough that he was comfortable enough to go to sleep.  A feeling of bonding which made them all sleep peacefully.

"Guys?  Guys, are you awake?"  Rowen looked to either side of himself, happy to see that they both were there.  He wondered if this was how it felt like to be a normal child.  He usually had nightmares, but was too afraid to ask his parents if he could accompany them for the night.  And his parents divorced when he was really young.  Rowen whispered, "Thanks, guys," and sneaked out of the room.

Now, the young one was outside.  He thought that taking a walk would clear his mind of the nasty memories which lasted for so long, but were also brand new to him.  He jumped in surprise as he heard a growl from behind him.

"White Blaze," he groaned.  "Don't do that.  You scared me, boy."  Rowen kneeled down and rubbed the tiger, glad that it was there with him.  "All right.  As long as you don't tell anyone that we're out here."  They walked for a while until he spotted Sage, meditating underneath a tree.  Rowen casually walked over to Sage and got on his knees.

Sage opened his eyes, "Rowen?  What are you doing here?  Are you all right?"

"I'm fine.  But, I think I'm ready to tell you a bit of what's been going through my mind."

"Ok.  What happened to you last night?  What did you see?"

"Read my mind."

"What?"

"It's too difficult to describe in words for now.  I'm still having problems processing all of these memories.  Read it."  He then, sat in Indian style, in front of Sage.

* flashback *

Two pairs of feet are seen, running through a hallway.  It pans up to the two men, as they look out from a balcony from atop a castle.  It's Rowen and Sage, looking at a definite raid on the castle, which they protect.

"I don't care, what you do!  Talpa wants those other four armors," Anubius yelled while riding his horse across the front line.

"Cye," Rowen yelled in, for standing in the way of Anubius' army's entrance was, a now hurting, Cye.

Cye rested his trident on the ground, "Are there anymore chrome domes that you're going to have me to deal with?"

"Sekhmet, deal with him!  Load up the catapults!  We're taking the castle RIGHT NOW!"  A yell went up from the troops, as they did what Anubius had just commanded.

"Now, Cye, it doesn't have to be like this," Sekhmet smirked as he armed himself with two swords.  "Join us.  It'll be like old times."

"I wish it would be that way, too, Sekhmet, but our job is to protect the royal family," Cye told him with his usual gentle tone of voice.

"Well, we're all going to serve a new royal family, now.  And, the best part about this is that whoever does the most damage gets their way with the princess first."  Cye gasped at the unthinkable act and dropped his trident.

"Well, it's going to be over my dead body!  Armor of Torrent…dao Shin!"

"Fire," Anubius yelled.

"Watch out," as the ball flew towards them, Sage wrestled Rowen to the ground.  Rowen, then, pushed him off to lay some cover fire for Cye.  "Come on, Rowen!"

"NO!"

"Rowen-!"

"NO!  I'm not leaving him!"  Both were chased inside by some arrows.

"We have to.  The princess needs us."

"We have to get her out of here!"  The two ran through the castle, locking various doors behind them.

"Where's Ryo?"

"I don't know.  Many say that he has already perished.  What about the windows?"  Sage pushed some ladders off the window ceils, along with Rowen.

"No time.  Where's Kento?"  At that moment an entire wall breaks down and a fully claded warrior walks through the opening and looks up at them.

"Did somebody call me?"

"Who are you?"

"Don't you remember?  I'm the bearer of the Hardrock armor."  The mask of the warrior's helmet disappears, "But, you two know me as Kento," he refreshed their minds with a smile.  "I've come to bring you back to Talpa."

"What are you talking about, Kento?  We're not going anywhere else, but to get the princess to safety."

"Ah, you're all talk.  Admit it, Sage.  You want to be with her as badly as the rest of us do.  In fact, all of us can be together under the rule of Talpa.  You didn't believe that you got your armor by chance, did you?  The armors of Wildfire, Hardrock, Ogre, Spider, Cobra, Darkness, Torrent, Strata, and Halo all belong to Talpa.  They're all evil and whoever wears the armors belong to Talpa as well."

"LIAR!!  The armor of Halo, along with the rest of the armors are NOT puppets to anyone!"  Hardrock laughed at him.

"Fool!  You're denying your destiny.  You think just because you happen to be a PRINCE, gives you privilege to be the barer of Halo, much more or less to maybe have an obligation to marry the young princess which we all have to protect?  Don't you agree with me, Rowen?  Wait…was serving in Cye's case."

"What did you do to him," Rowen gasped.

"See for yourself."  Sekhmet drags in the bloody and battered Cye.  "Give me that."  Sekhmet gives him the knife off of Cye's back.  "I'll show you how evil you'll become too, once you accept what you're about to become."

Cye opened his eyes, "Kento?  Kento.  Thank God you're here to help us."  He watches naively as Kento raises the knife above him.  "Kento?  Kento, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to help you."

"Thank you.  You're a good friend."

"Yeah.  But, now, I'm going to help you die!"

"NO-," yelled Rowen and the knife impregnates Cye's armor.  Torrent yelled.  Then, he spits up some blood and cries red tears to the person which he called friend only a moment ago.

"It doesn't matter what they did to you, Kento.  I…still forgive you," at that moment, the boy passes out.

"Armor of Halo…dao Chi!"  Halo jumped off the balcony, "HARDROCK!!!  You're gonna pay!"

"Snake…bite…strike," Sekhmet yells as he attacks Halo.

"That's right, I'm giving you a head start, Strata.  Run, little boy, RUN," Kento yelled at him as he ran up the stair well.  "That's right!  EAT ROCK!  Iron…rock…crusher!!!"  Rowen closed and barricaded the heavy door behind him, but Kento's attack busted the door down and sent him flying.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH," Rowen hit the wall behind him with tremendous force, but he managed to get up and keep running.  The focus remains on the wall rather then the young man because blood is running down the wall in the spot which he hit.  A scream is heard from further down the hall.  "Princess!"  As he runs into the last room in the hall, he only sees a pile of motionless warriors on the floor.  As he looks up, he sees the princess fighting off the last two with a wooden jutte in one hand and a steal fan in the other.  She catches the sword of the man in front of her in her jutte and ducks the other man's sword swipe.  When she stands back up, his sword breaks while caught in her jutte, then slaps the other man, in the head, with her fan.  She throws the fan at Rowen and he barely dodges it.  Rowen shoots the dazed man as the princess hits the other one in the cleft of his throat with the jutte.  After Rowen shoots the man, the princess runs over and hugs him.

"Oh, my hero!"

"What?  And, why did you throw that tassen at me?"

"Not you," as she pointed in the hallway.  Standing there was Hardrock, who had dropped his weapon so that he may turn his helmet back to its proper position.  "So that you know, I threw it fast enough for him not to side step it, but slow enough for you to avoid it.  Now, let's get out of here."  She starts off for the hallway, but Rowen stops her.

"No.  This way.  He leads her to the window."

"It's too dangerous.  We'll land on that stone bridge."

"Who said anything about jumping down?"  The princess looks at him in question as Rowen runs to the other side of the room.  He comes back with a ladder and guides it out of the window.  "We run across to the other tower."

"Rowen-."  They both look back to see that Kento finally got his helmet to start moving back to fit him normally.

"Hurry!  I'll hold it for you."  The princess kissed him.

"I wasn't objecting to your plan," she says as she starts climbing through the window, "just the fact that I want to give all of my personal guards a kiss of gratitude before any of us DIED!"  She raised her voice as she took off on the make shift bridge.  Rowen dodged the weapon that came from the growling man behind him and elbowed him in the face.  As Hardrock walks backwards from the blow, Rowen shoots an arrow into the armor, jumps onto the ladder, and runs to rejoin the princess.  The armored warrior pulls the arrow out as he growled.

"Come back here!"  He barely manages to get his bulky form into the window frame.  "Get them," he yells back to other warriors pouring into the room.  As others start to pile onto the ladder, it suddenly goes aflame.  At the realization of the blaze, Rowen jumps through the window.  The princess crouches down beside him and holds his head.

"Rowen…Rowen…."

"I'm alright.  But, the next time you throw fire, make sure that I'm not still hovering above solid ground."

"I didn't do that."  A couple of footsteps are heard and Rowen quickly gets up.

"Hide."  After the princess was well hidden, a shadowy figure appears in the doorway and Rowen shoots an arrow in warning.  "Who goes there?  Friend or foe?"

"Friend."

"If you're my friend, then why are you here?"

He started to walk towards him, "I am Ryo and serve the royal family along with you.  We protect the princess.  And, take care of her as well."  He stands with his Wildfire armor on.

"It's a good thing you came back, Ryo.  The palace is surrounded and I don't know where to take her.  You have to help me get her out of here."

"Where is she?"  At that moment the princess steps behind Rowen.

"Ryo…Ryo, I…," Rowen then fell towards the ground.

* end flashback *

Sage opened his eyes to Rowen grunting in pain and his kanji once again visible.  Sage massaged the other's forehead with his thumbs and the kanji vanished.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes.  But, I can't really recall any more than that.  And, I didn't really want to tell anyone of these memories.  It might be better if they found out on their own."

"I understand.  But, at least tell the other guys what you've been seeing and that you're all right."  Sage suddenly got to one knee as the grass started to move.  "Who's there?"

"I don't hear anyone."

"Go back inside, Rowen.  I'll be right behind you," he smiled as he rubbed his friend's hair.  As soon as Sage saw that Rowen was on his way, he patted White Blaze's side and the white tiger accompanied him on his investigation.  After running a bit, he stopped and turned his head so that he could see from behind his hair.  He made out that there was a person leaning against the back of a tree with a hat like the ancient wore and claded in pale yellow robes.  White Blaze turned around and growled, confirming what he saw was actually there.

"Who are you," he asked the stranger as he turned around, ready to fight.

"I'm not sure what's worse," the soft voice riddled, "Having a tiger sniff me out or you looking for a fight?"  Sage stood up straight looking shocked.  "That's what's wrong with men.  The last expected thing for them would be to face a woman.  You wear a piece of Talpa's armor, do you not?"

"What business is it of yours?"

"It will be my business, later.  But, I can only guess that as long as all nine of you continue to fight with the armor, Talpa will still exist."

"Talpa?  The dynasty is back again?"

"No.  Eventually it will be.  But, I'm not here for that," she tells him as she looks him over a couple of times from head to toe.

Sage noticed her interest, "Are you here for me, then?"

"You wish," she smiled.  "But, instead of taking care of personal business, I'll tell you something.  Kayura WAS there last night."

"But, that's impossible!  How did she leave so fast?"

"Because she wasn't there in person.  She wanted to visit you and projected herself nearby.  I don't truly know what went wrong."

"How do you know this?"

"Let's just say that at times I can read people."

"Can you read me right now?  I can read you….  You should be more optimistic about life.  All of your dreams will come true if you give them a chance."

"Don't tell me that," she sadly whispered as she bowed her head, "You don't know me."

"But, I'd like to.  What's your name?"

"If you come back here with your friends, I'll open a portal to the nether world for you."

"That's nice of you to offer that, but why are you helping us?"

"I'll tell you nothing more."

"But, what's your name?"

"Nothing more," she raised her alto voice.  "But, we'll meet again, Ronin."  She ran off with the length of her robes flowing behind her and vanished into her surroundings.


	3. Someone or something is keeping secrets....

Truths Unknown 3

"I've been meditating and now have some answers.  The reason why we saw Kayura was because she was projecting herself to us.  But, something went wrong with it.  I was hoping that we'd go to the nether realm and find out what happened.  She might not be well enough to try again."

"But, I was set to take a closer look at that cave.  Who knows what else we can discover," Mia voiced.

"I'm with Sage," Rowen said.  The group, around the table, was silent.

"Are you sure that you want to go," Ryo asked him.

"Yes.  I want to check on Kayura."

"Huh?"

"Is there something that we don't know," Cye asked.  Kento just laughed.

Rowen lowered his brows, "What's so funny?  It's no time for us to be takin' a vacation.  This needs through investigatin' and Mia understands that."

Ryo stood up from the table, "Ok.  We'll split into two groups.  Half of us will go to the nether realm and the other half will accompany Mia to the cavern and try to figure out something about that place."

"We should leave as soon as possible," Sage suggested.

"Right.  I'll go with Sage and Rowen.  I'm also taking White Blaze."

"Wait!  But, I want to go, too," Cye exclaimed.

"Ok.  I guess trading places isn't a bad thing either.  It'll give us each a chance to know what's going on.  In fact, it might be faster and least complicated then telling what's up and having to go back."

"That's fine with me," Mia agreed, "I guess you guys can go now, but we won't start until the morning."

After the stars had been out for quite some time, the three Ronins, Ryo, Rowen, and Sage, traveled through the forest.  And, like promised by the mysterious woman, the portal to the nether realm was there.

"Hey.  So THAT'S our open invitation?  Let's go," Ryo yelled.

Unfortunately, they had a rough ride to the nether world.  As the three of them got up, they gave themselves a look of 'now what'.  Ryo spotted the castle and all three started their journey.  During the quiet trip, Rowen stopped and started to stare off into a different direction.

"This is going to take too long.  But, riding White Blaze to the castle will be a pain if all three of us are on him.  Sage, why didn't your mystery portal hook us up with some horses?"

"Well, we can't have everything, Ryo."  Both stopped as they heard feet running away from them, through the shallow water.  They both ran after the other Ronin while yelling at him to come back.  The archer easily outran the two swordsmen and the tiger.  The only thing that they could follow now was the noise that he left behind.

"No.  NO!  Princess… ," Rowen yelled.  The other two saw that he was holding another person's head in his arms, as they came towards him.  "Princess," he moved the figure's head to his shoulder.  

"Rowen, what happened," Ryo asked, "Is she hurt?"

Rowen's kanji was shining on his forehead, "Yeah.  Just a little."

Sage knelt beside him, "Come on, Kayura.  Wake up."  He looked her over.  "She's exhausted.  Let's go."  They draped Kayura over White Blaze and ran to the castle.  There, the warlords, Kale, Sekhmet, and Dais took her into their care.

"Kayura, you should have tried come back sooner when you were felt exhausted.  You could have been missing for days before we found you," Sekhmet told her.

Dais held his head up, to look at her, "You should've asked one of us to accompany you.  Trying projections is very tiring for beginners."

Kale cleared his throat, "Sorry for us to be so rude, but thank you for finding Kayura.  None of us would have known where to look.  But, what brings you here?"

"Rowen started having these visions about a past life.  We wondered what they mean," Ryo explained.

"What were these visions like?"  Kale's question went unanswered by Rowen who was undoubtedly more concerned about Kayura's health.

"You'll have to excuse him.  He has been behaving strangely since the incident."

"I see."

"And, now you WILL see," Sage said as his kanji flared.  All of them once again saw the image of all of them running through the woods together, enjoying each other's company.

"That vision…," Sekhmet gasped.

"I can confirm it," Dais offered, "If it was real.  And, if it really did happen to us."

"When?  Where?"

"Give me time.  I'll know it soon enough."

"Mmm?"  Everyone looked as they saw that the sound was from Kayura.  "I'm hungry," she whined.

Ryo sighed, "I'll go get Cye."

"MMM!  I did not know you cooked so well!"

"Oh believe me, ask Kento.  He knows all of the best eateries around."

"Kayura, what happened during your projection," Ryo asked.

"I sensed that you were in the forest.  But, I was not strong enough to pinpoint your exact location.  I was wondering bleakly in the dark and I got lost.  Then, Rowen found me.  But, that being in that place made us both had a flashback.  It overwhelmed me and that's the reason why I never got back here or to you.  Every time I woke up, there was another one.  But, the way that you described the cave, it seemed like the ancient was there.  I think he must have protected himself from Talpa there while making the armors permanent separate entities with virtues, so that they would be harder for Talpa to control."

Cye was impressed, "That's a very interesting fact, Kayura."

She smiled, "Well, it's either that or the origin of the armors.  There's more than just ours."

"That's impossible!"

"No, it's not.  You didn't think our ancestors got it right the first time, did you?  There were many failures that are spread throughout the world, waiting to be found.  There may be something telling of what the other armor's are.  But, I'm not sure of where the scrolls for such things are.  It WILL take a lot of time and, for now, our main objective here is to rebuild."

"I'll help!"

"What," everyone exclaimed.

"I'll help rebuild.  It's the least we can do until we find out what all of these memories mean.  And, we're out of school, guys, what else are we going to do?"

Kayura's face turned expressionless, "I'm sorry.  But, if there were another evil force out there, I would like to be prepared and so would you.  You ronins may do what you wish, but my job is mainly to protect this realm.  Sage?  Is there something you wish to share?"

The blonde slowly turned around, from looking out of the window, "…."

"You seem just as preoccupied as I do," Rowen finally spoke up.

"Most of you should," Dais told them as he walked back in.  He sat at the table, "I have meditated in my armor of Spider and learned some things.  What we are seeing is false."

"No, it can't be…."

"It is.  These events never happened in any of our lifetimes…it happened in our armors'."

"What," asked Ryo.  "You can't expect us to believe that."

"I can," smiled Kayura.  "We're not the only ones to wear the armor.  I guess our armors are more alive than we've realized.  They are harmonizing with us, now.  Or rather, they want us to harmonize with them since we've now excepted them and our destinies."

"That's bad too.  In the search for my answer, I've seen a lot of hideous things too.  You must be careful."  Ryo's kanji flared and then he passed out on the table.  "Do not be alarmed.  He will be alright."  He motioned to Cye to help carry Ryo into a vacant room.

"Yes.  Please?  Stay for the night," Kayura asked them.

"Of course," Sage answered.

"Kale? Sekhment?  Please show and prepare rooms for our guests.  Please, accompany them, Rowen.  I need to talk to Sage for a while."  Rowen left the room and Sage sat across from her.  "Tell me, how you got here.  None of you know how to transfer yourselves to this realm."

"There was a woman who wore yellow.  She transferred us here."

"_She?  Why?"_

"She sensed that you were in trouble and by yourself.  She also thinks that our affairs will be of her business, later.  I wish I knew who she was."

"…sound a bit heart broken."

"Maybe, I would know more if I could see her eyes.  But, somehow I know that they would tell me a sad story anyway."

"Then, why look forward for your next meeting?"

"Because…her soul's kind of like Rowen's.  It wants something…but I don't really know.  It might be death, but…I don't want to see that happen.  She's about my age, I mean, would anyone want to see or hear about someone they know die and that person being about your age?"

"I understand."

"All I keep on thinking about if there is a next meeting."

"Don't worry.  Sleep.  You shouldn't worry about what is not there."

"I wish she was," he mumbled.  Kayura looked at him in shock.

"Don't look so depressed, that's my job," chuckled Rowen then hit Sage with a pillow.

"Huh?  Hey!"

"Good, I finally got you to stop staring at that ceiling.  Thinking about holding me in your arms as we sleep together?"  Sage gave him a scornful look.

"Hey.  Rumors fly that people say you're the more feminine out of the two of us," he laughed.

"I'll show you who's a woman," Sage threw a pillow into Rowen's face and they started a pillow fight.

"Strata, …Strata?  Strata?  Strata?"  Rowen looked about in the darkness of the woods.  Listening to where the woman's voice might come from.  "Strata?  Come with me."  He finally pinpointed the origin of the sound.  "Come to me."  He slowly walked over to the figure.  It was a woman, shorter than he, with dark hair that just about touched her shoulders.  It was too dark to make out a face, but he knew she wore a light colored subarmor.

"Strata.  I've been waiting for you.  Didn't you hear me calling?  Come along with me.  Let's watch the sunset together, then, take me away into the night with you and show me your stars."  She pointed to a clearing and they started to walk together.

"Who are you?"

"You don't recognize my armor, Strata?"

"Am I supposed to?"

"Please.  Get into your under armor."  He did so.  "I know you still may not know who I am.  But, my armor has longed for yours for centuries, upon so."  He backed away from her.

"Who are you?"

"No.  It's not like Talpa.  This is different."  They both saw the reddish light near the end of their journey.

"I don't understand all this."  He leapt out into the light.  Rowen saw the burning sky and looked at it in awe.  The woman held out her hand to him from the darkness.

"I don't either.  But, I hope you'll recognize me…."  He grabbed her hand and saw that her armor was an orangey color, since it was tinted by the sun's color, like his own.

"Your armor's yellow?"

"Yes," as her hand started to grip around his.  A rush came over him, a calm that he had never sensed before.  Something that he always wanted, …someone who he knew what he felt inside because that person felt the same way about it, too.

"Watch the sunset with me one day, Strata?"

He opened his eyes with the moonlight still on his face.  It's a new day, with only a few hours left before sunrise.  He left and walked around the castle's hallway.  While reflecting on his dream, he saw a single light that pierced through double doors.  He peaked in to see Kayura studying.

"Princess, …I mean, Kayura.  You shouldn't be studying this late."  She motioned him over to sit in a nearby chair.  "You should be resting.  And, this is some HUGE library.  What were you reading up on?"

"Some of the other armors' history.  That IS if I can find them."

"Kayura….  You shouldn't be doing this in the condition you're in."  Kayura put down the book, walked over, and sat in his lap.  She next leaned over and kissed him.

"Kayura…."  He looked back deeply into her dark eyes.  She pushed towards him again to kiss him.  Her hands through his hair, his arms wrapped around her, her mouth pressed harder against his to show her feelings to him.  Next, he shoved her away, caressed her check with his hand, and slightly shook his head.

"Kayura, …I'm sorry that I can't.  We should go back to bed."  She gave a painful expression towards what he just said and the look of sadness on his face.  She got up and let out the light as he walked out, then she followed.

"Goodnight,"  She turned her head away to hide her tears.  And, in a more stressed voice, she finished, "then, Rowen."

Then, they walked away in opposite directions, Rowen, the only one of the two to look back at the other.


	4. Something which is still unknown

Truths Unknown 4

Ryo walked into the very quiet dinning area.  He really couldn't understand how a room of eight people and a tiger could exist without sound.

"Uh, …good morning?"

"Good Morning," everyone answered him.  Ryo took a seat between Rowen and White Blaze.  He looked around to room, hoping to pick up what was going on from everyone's faces.  His eyes rested on Rowen, first, since he was the one that he was most concerned about.  He was in self thought, as usual, but there was something a little different about it.  He noticed that Rowen kept looking to Kayura, but she had her eyes cast down the whole time.  He then looked at Kale, who had noticed the same thing and was just as uneasy with it as he was.  Fortunatly it was Sekhmet that broke the silence.

"So, where the rest of you, Ronins?"

Cye looked at him, "Well.  The rest of us are going back to that strange cave today, to see if there are any clues of why what happened, happened."

"I'm looking forward to know what you find, Cye," Kayura looked up and smiled at him.  "Who else will be with you?"

"Well, Kento, Mia, and maybe Yuli."

"I would like to see them again, too."

"Kayura?"

"Yes, Sage?"

Sage cast his eyes down, "I'm sorry.  I think it's nothing."

"Well, tell me, when you get the chance, Sage."

"Cye, are you ready to go back," Ryo asked.

"Yeah."

Kayura stood up, "I'll show you the way back."

"I'll go, too," Rowen spook up, softly.  Next, he looked up at Kayura with a look of 'I'm sorry' on his face.  "But, only because Ryo wanted to tell me something."

"Wait.  How did you know that I wanted to tell you something?"

"When I passed your room this morning, I saw your kanji glow the same time as mine, did."

"I guess that means something.  So, let's go," he smiled.  White Blazed stood up and gave an enthusiastic growl.

"I had this vision of us.  And, you washed up upon the shore.  When you came to, you did not have any memories of anything that happened in your life.  Only your name and your knowledge of how to use a bow and arrow.  So, we decided to go to the city together."

"That's all Ryo," Rowen asked.

"That's all," Ryo shrugged.

"We are here.  Are you ready to go back, Cye?"

"Sure, am.  I can't wait to tell the others what has happened."

"Ryo.  I'll teach you how to summon up the gates, so that you may travel between here and your world.  It will take a lot of your energy, though."  Cye and Rowen sat and waited patiently as Kayura taught, an armored up, Ryo how to open the gates between earth and the nether relm.

"Hey, Rowen.  Have you found anything out yet, that might help us find out about these memories?"

"No.  I'm hoping that the cave will answer most of our questions.  I saw that Kayura had a huge library here, too.  I want to read them and see what they tell about the armors."

"Then, I guess you're going to spend the rest of your time, here.  You, the books, and Kayura."

"Why did you mention, Kayura?"

"Well, I thought you might talk her into helping us, out.  This thing that's happening to the rest of us, is happening to her, too.  But, you do seem to be distracted, lately.  Does this have to do with Kayura?"

"Kind of.  I'm not sure to what extent would she help us."

"Are you sure it's not more than that?"

"Yeah, Cye."

"Wow.  I really did it," Ryo said.  "Let's go, Cye!"

"I promise that we'll be back later, Kayura.  Good luck on your research," Cye smiled, then the two of them went through the gate.

"Kayura," Rowen started as he got up.  Her expression stopped him.  "We should get started on our research."

"Yes.  But, we must get the others, first."

"Why?  I thought just the two of us doing research would be," he paused, but a better word would not come to his head, "fine."

"The more people doing research, the better," she smiled shyly.

"But, I thought it would be better if it was the two of us doing research together.  We both already have a good understanding of what we're looking for."

"I don't know about you, but it seems that I'm not the one you're looking for."

"Kayura, don't make this personal."

"It won't be, Rowen.  And, it never will be," she frowned.

"Kayura, about last night-."

"You made yourself clear last night.  So, let's not talk about it."

Back in the forest, where our story began, Ryo had explained what happened while in the nether world.

"Ryo?  Cye?  Can I go back with you," Yuli asked.

"Not yet, little guy.  I think you would be more of distraction than of help there," Ryo smiled.

"But, I have the jewel of life."

"Yes, you do Yuli.  But, can the jewel of life read a few thousand books," Cye asked rhetorically.

"Never mind about that, you guys.  Mia has something to say about this, too," Kento reminded them.

"This seems to be some historical log about the armors, in mural form," Mia said as she touched the wall and raised her flashlight.  "The problem is that it's not in detail.  The first few armors that were created, had basic concepts which all the armors that came afterward, followed.  Of course, throughout time the earlier armors failed."

"Failed?  To do what, Mia," Ryo asked.

"They had many design flaws and practically fell apart with time, I guess.  There was a need to make the armors stronger, since evil forces had stole plans to make the armors.  And, for some reason it became a great race to make the most destructive armor.  And, because of that, it gave birth to mega armors, such as Hariel's and Talpa's, which could absorb other armors, making them more powerful."

"Woah.  Then, Talpa wasn't lying to me when he said my armor, …ALL of our armors were blood thirsty," Kento said.

"I wish I could make out the rest of this, though."

"HEY, Mia!  What's that," Yuli yelled and pointed.

"What?"

"THAT!"

"Hmm?  I never saw that one before."

"Good eye, Yuli," Kento said, as he patted Yuli's shoulder."

"It looks like the armor of Wildfire," Cye said as he placed his finger below the redish armor.

"No.  It's not Wildfire," Ryo told him.

"Then what is it?"

"And, why is it so much smaller than the armors surrounding it?"  Kento gasped, "You think there's a midget armor?"

Mia giggled, "I don't think it's that, Kento.  It must be some kind of symbolism."

"It looks like it's glowing.  Like the picture of the jewel of life," said Yuli.

"Maybe it DOES have something to do with the jewel of life."

"Did you hear something," Cye asked.  At that moment, two weapons slash both Ryo and Kento in the back, causing them to fall to the ground and Cye gets jump kicked into the wall.  Mia screams as one of the circular weapons barely miss her and both are caught by their fully clad owner.  Next, their attacker picks up Yuli and runs towards the gate that Ryo and Cye took from the Nether world.

"I'll get him back, Mia," Cye said as he got up and ran after the kidnapper.

Kale was just sitting outside, staring peacefully up at the clouds in the sky.

"Why are you HERE!?  I told you to go THERE," Sekhmet yelled at a worker.  Well, …staring up at the sky would be peaceful, if it wasn't for Sekhmet yelling at the top of his lungs.  "And, where do you think, you're going?"  Kale gave up on the sky for a moment, and decided to look at what else is around him.  Lo and behold, a few feet from him was Dais, watching the orb of cruelty, which sat on a white cloth.

"My word, Dais!  If I catch you staring at that thing, ONE MORE TIME, I think I'm going to puke!"

Kayura walked up to Dais as those words were spoken, "Dais?  Could you help us with our research?"

"Be happy to," as he got up and pocketed the orb, carefully.

"Sekhmet?"

"WHAT," he yelled like a mad man.

"Um…you're doing a good job."

Sekhmet, unexpecting the comment, "Huh?"

"Kale?"

"Please take me?"

"No.  Watch him.  He's getting all high strung again."  Kale just grunted as she and Dais left them.

"For crying out LOUD!  Do I have to make the cement mixture myself?"

"What's the matter, Rowen?  You still haven't told me, yet."

"It's between Kayura and me.  I don't understand it, Sage.  How can everything be honest and deceitful at the same time?"

"You mean like touching an angel?  And, when the moment comes that you would just love to have one kiss from her, you instead ask her to take you away to paradise with her so you make love eternally to her perfect silky form because you feel everything about her is perfect."  Rowen looks at him in disbelief.  "Now!  What's you're problem?"

"I can't be with her.  I know that she likes me and I want to like her, too.  But, I panicked and I turned her away just like my mother usually did to me."  He lets out an anguished grunt, "I HATE THESE FLASHBACKS!  They're messing with my mind!"  He let out another anguished grunt as the kanji of life glows on his forehead.

"Are you ok, Rowen?"

"I'm fine," he sighed as the kanji vanished.  He gave his friend an uneasy smile, "I just need some fresh air, I guess.  I'll be back."  After Rowen rounded the corner, his kanji lit up, again.  "She's here," he thought.  He ran towards one of the more scenic sides of the grounds and opened a window.  "Armor of Strata…dao Inochi!"  Next, the claded warrior flew towards the horizon.

"Now, be a good little boy and yell for me," the kidnapper commanded to Yuli, who was hanging from a tree by a rope.

"No, way!  Let me go!"

"I'm not doing this to hurt you or your friends."

"Huh?"

"I'm just using you, to make sure that the other Ronins are busy, while I meet with a certain one."

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I."  A knife flies over her head and cuts the rope that holds Yuli.

"Not so fast."

"Fast?  I'll show you fast."  The kidnapper starts to fight Cye, as Yuli struggles to get free.

"Dais!  Go get Sage and the others, quick!"

"What is it, Kayura?"

"There's an intruder in my realm and she's coming this way.  Hurry!"  Kayura revealed one of her juttes the moment before Dais left her side.

Once Rowen got there, all he heard was Yuli crying for Cye to get up.

"Yuli?  What happened," he asked as he landed.

"There was some crazy lady and she kidnapped me and she hurt the others."

"Where did she go?"

"That way!  But, you can't leave me here, Rowen!  I-,"  Yuli could hardly get another sentence out of his mouth as Rowen flew off.

"Huh," the kidnapper said as she side stepped a shrunken.  Then, blocked off a couple of swipes at her, the last one landing square in the chest, causing her to fall to the ground.

Kayura picked up her shrunken and started to reattach it to its jutte, "You know you can't win a cat fight, if you're only a kitten."  She only smirked at her foe.

"I didn't come here for a cat fight.  But, I'm more than happy to show off my armor."  The two ran towards eachother and started to fight one another.  Sais against deerhorn knives.  Of course the amber armored fighter has taken a few good hits from Kayura.  But, Kayura has a scrape or two herself.

"Looks like I won't be needing back-up, after all.  Star Storm Scream!"  As Kayura scrapes her juttes at the sky and it answers her by raining purple lighting to the ground.  "I guess you won't be conscious when Halo sees you, again."

"Halo?  Who's that?  I-, no."  As if a found memory, "The Armor of Twilight, seeks the Armor of Strata."

"Twilight?"

"You should've stayed out of my way."  Twilight painfully gets out of her defensive stance and throws her deerhorn knives, "Nova Ray Flash!"  As the deerhorn knives cross one another, they spark, releasing a blinding light, which can be seen for miles.  Kayura lets out a whisper of a gasp as a knife penetrates her side.

As she falls to the ground, Rowen catches her, "Kayura."

"It looks like…someone is…looking for you, Rowen."

Rowen looks up at the woman who gave Kayura a mortal blow, then cradled her closer, as he looked back at Kayura, "She can wait…because you need me, now."

"I don't need you to protect me."

"We are still friends, right?"

"And, friends help one another out when they're in need," Ryo said.  "But, you wouldn't know that, Kayura!"

"Ryo!"

"Hey, Rowen.  How come you never introduced me to your new friend?"

"You mean, OUR new friend," as Sage stood besides him.

"Huh?  Who had the party and didn't invite me?"

Sage kneeled at Kayura's other side and looked her over, "She'll live.  But, we'll have to disinfect the wound first.  I'll leave that to you, Ryo?"

"And, you?"

"It's time for proper introductions," as Sage gets up and walks towards Twilight.

"We've met before," Twilight says.

"We sure have.  But, now it's time to tell me who you are."

"I am Twilight.  And, I know the one in blue is Strata.  The rest of you I don't know or could care less about."

Sage's face was set like stone, "Well, you should.  An armor is something not to play around with.  You've just hurt the Lady Kayura.  The one in red is Wildfire and I am Halo."

"Stay out of my way, Halo.  I'm only here because this is between my armor and Strata's."

"You'll have to get through me, first," Sage says as he lowers himself into fighting position.

"Just leave me and fight her.  I'll be all right.  You guys were more of a challenge," Kayura whispered.  Ryo scoffed.

"Yeah, right!  And, I thought I was the king of nobility.  This might sting," Ryo said as he stuck his fingers in her wound.  Kayura let out a whimper and held Rowen tight.  She barely uncovered an eye from his arm and she started to cry and Rowen's kanji of life reacted to the site of her tears.  Twilight takes her eyes away from the would be battle as her kanji flares, to watch the emotion on Rowen's face.

"That kanji.  Is that…," Sage thought as he looked back and forth between Twilight and his friend.  Sage's attack takes Twilight off guard, causing her to throw one of her deerhorn knives in an odd direction and dropping the other one.  She twists in the air as she falls to the ground and Sage jumps on her back and wins against Twilight's struggle to get up.  "Kayura was right.  You are not as good as we were when we started to fight her."

"Is that so," she asked as she turned her head and smiled at him.  Sage's expression changes to question and he gets hit on the right side of his head by the other knife.  Twilight catches it as he falls over to his left.  She stratals him, pins both of his arms with her deerhorn knives, then looks up and sighs.  "I only had this armor for no more than a month.  I guess that means I'm behind the rest of the game.  Imagine, …all this trouble because I wanted to ask Strata to watch the sunset with me."

"It's more than that.  You're feeding off his energy, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know him better than anyone else who knows him.  And, now I know why the energy I see around you is similar to Rowen's.  Your armor gives you a lower form of enthalpy.  Your kanji…it's Loneness, he said as his kanji of wisdom flared.

"I do not know what yours mean.  But, I am sorry for causing all of this trouble.  I am sorry, Halo.  Tell the other's that for me?"

"Don't leave!  Join us in our fight for freedom.  I know you're a good person and I know that together, with my fellow warriors, that we have formed a bond between us which there are no words for."

"I like your offer, but I'm not buying today.  My armor has more control over me than I do over it, right now.  Kayura is right.  I do need more training."  She picks up her slicers and holsters them.

"Don't leave me."  She gives him a look of shock. "I did not let Rowen run away from me and I cannot stand to see what would happen to you, if I let you run away.  Please stop running."

"STOP looking into my head!"

"I'm gonna bash her good," yelled Kento as he arrived with Kale, Dais, Sekhmet, Cye, Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze.

"I'm sorry, violet," she said as she kissed Sage's forehead, "But, Twilight wants to get home to watch the sunset, once again."   "Might come back and play with you some other time, though," She smiled at him, then got up.  She twirled past Kento's lounge at her with his staff and her slicer followed, slashing him across the butt.

"OW-WOW," Kento yelled.  Next, she elbowed Kale in the chest and kicked Sekhmet in the chin.

"I get the message, boys!  I'm outtie."  She runs off towards the construction area and Dais starts after her.

"Dais, don't," Sage says as he sits up.  Kento helps him up and they all rush over to Kayura's side.  "Kayura.  You're going to make it.  I promise," Sage said.  But, Kayura passed out before the process began, due to blood loss.

"KAYURA," Rowen yelled.


	5. Will she survive?

Truths Unknown 5

There were thought burdened figures, sitting in the library.

"Do you think Rowen's going to talk to us, soon," Yuli asked.

"No.  Rowen…Rowen blames himself for her condition," Sage told him.

"Is she getting any better, Sage," Dais asked.  Sage only shook his head.

"A lot of us blame ourselves for this," Sekhmet sighed.

"We failed to do our job right, again," Kale added.

"NO!  This is not any of your faults.  Everyone was just in the wrong places at the wrong time," Mia stood in front of them and mouthed.

"It was also an accident," Sage sighed.

"Well, it wasn't like they were SPARING, Sage," Kento yelled at him.

"Sage is right, Kento.  A lot of accidents can happen because of misunderstandings," Ryo said.  "Or you don't remember the last few months?"  Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I guess you're right.  But, has anyone seen Cye?"

"He's second to Rowen in blaming himself for this," Sekhmet said as he sat on the floor.

Dais walked over to the other side of the room and picked up the book that Kayura was studying, "Last night, around this time of morning, she came to me and told me about some of her flashbacks.  Then, as dawn was breaking, Cye asked me about the very same dreams.  It seemed that Cye was the most loyal and trustworthy of her man guards.  Having to see all of that and then failing now, must be so hard for him to cope with."

Kale raised an eyebrow, "Is that why she is so nice to him?"

"She's just gotta make it.  I don't want her to leave us like Anubius did," Yuli said as he rubbed his eyes.  "I hope that Sage can help her feel better."

"I'll do my best," Sage confirmed, then left.  Yuli then slid off the chair as Mia beckoned to him and she escorted him back to bed.

"Should we look for him," Kento asked.

"It looks like White Blaze is looking already," Ryo said as he noticed that the white tiger was gone.

"He left after Sekhmet talked about Cye blaming himself," Dais told them.

Kento pointed at Dais, "You spook me out, man."

"Me, too," Kale added.  "Let's go.  All of this worrying makes me want to raid the pantry.  Then, there will be a lot of practicing to do."

"That sounds good."

"Want to come along, Sekhmet," Kale asked.  "Sekhmet?  Sekhmet.  Sekhmet, don't tell me that you fell asleep in meditative position?"  Sekhmet lets out a momentary snore.  Kale starts to walk out, followed by the others, "I don't get it?  He is the only one of us to fall asleep.  We have a crisis and he sleeps for hours?"  As the sound in the hallway starts to die down, Dais takes out the yoroi orb of Cruelty and places it besides the book.  He stares at the both of them, for a moment, then starts to mediate.

"Should I blame myself, White Blaze," Cye asked as they watched the sun come up from over the horizon.  "She could die because I couldn't stop Twilight, myself.  But, most of all…when she wakes up….  When she wakes up, do you think she'll forgive me for letting her down?"  White Blaze nudged him.  Cye looked a bit cross at the beast, "Some friend you are."  He heard laughter from behind him.

"He said that everything will be all right.  Then, forgotten."

"Ryo," Cye said as his friend sat besides him.

"Remind me that you are never to translate for this tiger, Cye."

"Ok.  You are never to translate for this tiger, Cye."  The both of them let out a small laugh, which ended with Cye sighing.  "I hope for the love of God that the tiger's right.  Or, at least that your translation's accurate."

"Did you know that he gets his own TV show after predicting the weather correctly at least seventy percent of the time?"

"Really," Cye asked as he followed Ryo and White Blaze towards the kitchen.

Sage and Rowen stayed at Kayura's side for the rest of the night, while the others came by to visit, when not eating, sleeping, or studying various books.  Sage sat as still as a cat at Kayura's bedside, watching.  Rowen only watched the sky from Kayura's window.  It looked like he was desperately looking for a falling star to wish upon.  After an hour or two, he curled his knees to his chest, held them tight with his hands, and sunk his face into the gape between them.

"Rowen," Sage thought with no other words coming to mind, at that moment.  He did not know whether it was best to sit with him or leave him alone.  He could imagine his friend taking that position many times during his life.  As many times as Rowen ran away from getting close to others because he knew no one would ever want to get close to him.  Sage wondered how it must be like to have loneliness in his heart his whole life.  But, so far, it only seems that one other person, besides Rowen that he knew of, knows how it feels to be in that type of pain.  Next, Sage found himself besides his friend.  Rowen only peered up, from his position to see Sage looking back at him with a look of calm upon his face, his violet eyes burning.  Not like fire, but more like when dry leaves chase one another in a strong fall breeze.  Rowen never knew why other people found Sage's eyes intimidating.  He liked how Sage's eyes seemed to see all of a person.  Sage always looked at Rowen in a way that no one else had before him and Rowen always looked at Sage like any one normal person would look at another normal person.

Rowen came out of his position and rested his head against Sage's shoulder, "I'm sorry."  Sage looked down at him and saw that Rowen's focus was now on Kayura.  "I wish you'd wake up," Rowen said as he got up and walked over.  "I need to know if you're ok.  I should have never left you last night.  I should have never said 'no'."   Kayura remained motionless.  "I should have held you.  I should have done anything, but to tell you no, then leave you.  So please don't leave me?  Don't leave me, Kayura.  I didn't mean to hurt you.  It's just that I don't know how I could protect you and love you all at the same time.  When I saw you dieing, I couldn't let go.  You tried to be brave and then I saw you cry.  And, it hurt me so much to see you in pain….  Kayura, my heart was breaking!  It was breaking because you were dieing and I couldn't do anything to help or protect you….  I'm still hurting right now, so please wake up.  Wake up, wake up, wake up!  Wake up!"  His eyes welded up with tears and reached to shake her, but drew back and gasped as his eyes started to widen in horror, as he saw blood on his own fingers, "SAGE!!!"  Sage rushed over and saw that the bed sheets were quickly staining and that Kayura's wound had reopened.  "NOOOOOO!!!  Dear, God, no!  Don't take her away from me!!  KAYURA!!!"

"Don't give up on us, Kayura," Sage said as he was healing her while Rowen held her close.

"Don't you leave me, you can't leave me.  You CAN'T leave me!  I need you too much for you to leave me, you can't leave me.  Kayura…!  KAYURA!  Kayura," he started to cry as he slumped to the floor.  Sage let out a sigh of relief, after getting the wound closed.  The only sound in the room was Rowen, crying.

Sage touched his shoulder, "Rowen-."

"NOOO!  If she dies, then I don't want to live anymore!  Kayura was the only person who loved me and I turned her away.  I deserve to die."

"So, you're telling me that I don't love you, Rowen?  And, that YOUR life is more important to hers, than me or your friends?  That I wouldn't be as miserable as you are now, let alone worse, because you'll leave all of us just for her?!"

Rowen's eyes narrowed, "I don't have any friends."

Sage looked at his friend in shock and hurt.  "Don't you SAY that-."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!  You just don't understand.  I've wanted to kill myself for a very long time.  The thought of doing it has been less since I've been with you and the rest of the guys.  But, I _WOULD_ kill myself because I _KNOW_ I couldn't live without her."

A weak whisper sounded, "No!  Rowen."  They both looked down and witnessed Kayura opening her eyes.  "Where am I?"

"Kayura," Rowen whispered in disbelief.

"You're in your room, Kayura," Sage smiled at her.  Next, he got up decided to leave.

"Sage?  Sage-," Kayura yelled, but Sage only waved his hand as he left the room.

"What did you have to say to him, that you can't say to me?"

"I wanted him to thank him for healing me, even though he could have let me, die."

"Why you say that?"

"Well.  Out of the five of you Ronins, he hated me the most."

"But, that was while you were under Badamon's control.  Everything's ok between all of us, now."

"Is it?"  She looked at him in a sorrowful fashion.  "But, most of all, I didn't want to be alone with you," she said as she struggled to sit up.  "OW!"  Rowen caught Kayura before she was to fall back in bed.  He tilted her head up and looked into her sad eyes.

"Too bad…because I want to."  After saying that, he kissed her.  "I'm sorry that I've hurt you, Kayura.  I held back because I felt that I couldn't love you and protect you at the same time.  But, I want to know.  Do you still want to be with me?"

"Yes, Rowen.  I've always wanted to be with you," she smiled at him and he slightly moved his own lips, trying to mirror her expression of simple joy.

Epilogue:

Almost two years has past, since the Ronin Warriors had their troubles with the warrior called Twilight and now it is time for another vacation.  The five teens are at an airport terminal, in New York, putting down the last of their bags.

"I'm sorry about Luna, Ryo," Kento said as he patted his friend on the back.

"It shouldn't have happened.  Not to her or her brother," asked Ryo.

Rowen laughed, "It's not our fault, Ryo.  All we have left to say is that her soul is reunited with her brother's now.  Now, let's go home."  A young man with long white hair passed by them.

Cye held his shoulders as he shivered, "Guys?  It's freezing in here."

"Yeah.  But, it's summer.  Maybe the air conditioner is broken," Ryo guessed.

Sage was the only one to turn his head to look at the man.  He groaned in pain as he felt awful things going through his mind.  The man felt like death itself, then Sage saw the man while they stood in black spacelessness.  The armor of Twilight appeared between the two of them and she looked between the two.  As the white haired one held out his hand, she started to walk towards him.  "NO! "

"You want something of her, but I'll get to her before you do," an English accent answered.

"NO!  Come back-!"

"SAGE!  Sage, you ok," Ryo asked as he shook his friend.

"Uh, ….  Just a slight headache, I'm fine."

"Well, hurry or we're leaving you here."

Sage only starred back briefly at the man, as he thought, "But, who was he?  And, WHAT did he want with her?"  Finally, he started to follow Ryo.


End file.
